Moving Right Along on Our Project (Kind Of)

It's been quite a few months since I updated my blog about bringing Grandpa Home - The 1933 Desoto.  To date, the biggest obstacle was gathering parts to make a good water pump.  After running an ad with the National Desoto Club and running an ad in Hemmings, several good people helped us out and we did get what we needed and shipped everything off to New York, to Arthur Gould Rebuilders...I worked with Chris.  I would have no qualms recommending this shop to anyone who needs their water pump rebuilt.  Professional all the way.  I boxed everything up carefully and insured the package for $1,000.  Was told that when you put that kind of value on it, UPS will be likely to be more careful with handling it.  Not sure if that's true, but it did get there safely and back. 

My Pop worked diligently over the spring and summer, puttering here and there, going through engine parts, cleaning, priming, painting.  He rebuilt the generator, put in new brushes, but unfortunately, that had to be sent off to be rebuilt.  The '33 Desoto starter is one of a kind and complicated...I'd have to have him explain why.  I'm just the writer/owner of the car, documenting it's progress.  In October, we pulled the gas tank.  They don't call my Dad's generation the "Best Generation" for nothing.  His ingenuity amazes me.  And his patience also with thinking out his work.  Of course, he was an airline machinist by trade, so that certainly helps.  He has trouble understanding why we have such a throw away society, ie. when the computer craps out, why can't he go in there and fix it?  When I think that my Dad survived the great depression, Hitler and his troops occupying his homeland Denmark and all the other incredible things that happened in his lifetime, I am amazed and humbled.  We are lucky to have his sage advice and expertise in getting this car back on the road...very, very lucky indeed. 

All clean and ready to install

Here's how we drove it out of the garage so we could remove and install tank

So it was time to check out the gas tank and remove the 5 gallons of gas that was left in there since the early 1980's.  We knew it would be ugly in that tank, but NOT THAT UGLY.  For safety reasons, we had to pull the car out of the garage, since that's where the water heater and furnace are located for his home.  So he took an old metal gas can and rigged it up to feed gas directly to the carburator, while sitting on the running board.  It worked like a charm (see photos above).  The car was backed out far from the garage and he and my hubby attempted to syphon the old gas out.  I have never smelled anything so strong and lethal as that old leaded gas.  They siphoned out what they could, then opened up the drain and took out the remainder through a 1/4" plug at the bottom of the tank.  They then removed the float from the tank, and it was coated in layers on layers of black GUNK.  The inside of the tank was coated with the same.  The tank had to be boiled again and again at our local radiator shop to get all that out.  The owner said he had never seen so much crud in a tank before.  But, it came back clean as a whistle and was put back on with no problems several weeks later.  The gas tank float was cleaned and gone through, but was not working when placed back in the tank.  We then ran the car off the clean gas in the tank and it ran and sounded like a sewing machine.  I feel so fortunate that the engine didn't freeze up in the 30 years that it hadn't been run.  Hallelujah!  I am stilll looking for those hens teeth parts, such as a glove box lock or pull, hubcaps (we only have 2 Desoto ones), ashtrays (ours rusted through), clutch and brake pedal rubber pads, etc.  This is where the advent of Ebay and online ads really saved our hides, or I'd be on Social Security before I found most of the parts I have found already (which ain't much).

Here it is the day we hooked up the newly cleaned gas tank with fresh gasoline!  Runs like a top!

Copy of Original Bill of Sale from 1958

I am amazed that my Dad dug out the original bill of sale from July, 1958 when he bought the Desoto from Henry's Garage.  $200 for a classic vintage auto!  Wow!  I've erased his name and town, because, unfortunately, it's a sign of the times my friend.

A Danish '1933 Desoto Taken In Denmark in 1962

Here's a photo of my Mother, Shirley and my Aunt Lis, taken in Denmark when my parents visited in 1962. 

So, What's Next?

It's been a few days since my Dad and the Desoto have gotten reacquainted.  We're compiling a list of parts that I need to start searching for.  As my Dad says, "these '33 Desoto parts are as hard to find as hen's teeth."  We need a replacement water pump and may need to have one custom made.  The housing and impeller is cracked and has been braised, the shaft is bent on the original.  Fuel pump, wheel cylinders, brake shoes, hoses, tires, that's just the beginning.  Like I said previously, the car was pretty much untouched since my Dad sold it in '64.  The owners took it out occasionally each summer until the early 1980's.  It hasn't been registered since 1981 and has fallen off the DMV records.  So I had to apply for special historical plates to keep those original plates.  Oh yes, since it's not running, have to have a CHP officer examine the car and sign off the paperwork.  Then it will be officially registered.  DMV red tape...FFRRL%^&&*R%$

The Big Day - Grandpa Comes Out Into the Sunlight

On Sunday, January 23, 2011, we headed out to meet with the owner at 8:30 am.  The transport was due to arrive around 11 am, so we wanted to give ourselves ample time to get that one rear wheel unstuck and pull the Desoto out of the shed and onto the gravel road.  The owner of the property had to remove bolts that held the doors onto the shed.  It's pretty dark in there, with no windows for light, so we brought a generator and halogen light so he could see while working under the car.  He tried loosening bolts to unstick the brake shoes to no avail, it didn't work, the wheel still wouldn't turn.  After several attempts, we made the decision to drag the car out, even with that one stuck rear wheel.  We tied a heavy duty towing rope to the front axle and attached it to the hitch on our pickup.  I sat in the driver's seat, put the tranny in neutral, and very, very slowly, eased the Desoto forward.  All of a sudden, that rear wheel released and all wheels were rolling!  The car was finally out exposed to fresh air and the light of day, after sitting in the dark so many years.  We got the car situated for the transport to pick up.

Here's the first photo of the Desoto outside of the shed, where it had been hidden and not started for over almost 30 years. 

Loading 'er up

I wonder how many times Grandpa drove over the Golden Gate in it's long long history?

Going by the Palace of Fine Arts

The graceful lady needs a bath...

Arriving at the family home, where it left way back in 1964

This was the best part...seeing my Dad reunited with his Desoto!





How It All Began

It's 1958, and my Dad was supporting his wife and 4 kids in a modest ranch style home in Northern California.  He worked as a machinist and loved to tinker with vintage Chrysler product cars in his spare time.  There was a local garage named "Henry's Garage - House of a Million Parts" close by our home.  Henry, and his son Earl ran the garage.  Henry's property started out as a dairy farm in the early part of the century, then changed to the garage and eventually went into the auto wrecking business.  One day, my Dad stopped by Henry's to pick up some car parts, when he saw this nice little 1933 Desoto 4 door sedan, 6 wheel model, parked by the adobe style garage building.  The rear axle of the car was missing, so it was up on jack stands in the rear.  The car was unusual, very art deco and had beautiful curved lines to the body and fenders.  The radiator cap was a site to behold, a woman with wings.  The instrument cluster on the dash was very deco, with hounds and graceful lines.  Each rear window had a pull down shade.  There were spare tire covers on each front fender.  And the wood spoke wheels were deluxe.  He fell in love with the car and proceeded to talk business with Henry.  A deal was made and he paid $225 for it, which apparently was the going rate at that time.   He seems to recall that the original owners were an Italian family who lived just south of San Francisco.  My older sister Kathy took the above photo of my Dad and his car in 1958.  What a great picture.  Those really were great days to be living in California.

Here's a photo of Henry's Garage before it was torn down to make way for office buildings.

And here's a photo of "Granpa" taken in the late 1950's. 

Several years after this wonderful acquisition, I was born...in March, 1959.  Our family had several other Chrysler products, such as the 1949 Chrysler New Yorker, 1940 Canadian Dodge and 1950 Desoto. 

Throughout my childhood and into my teen years, my Dad owned quite the variety of Chryslers, Dodges, Desotos and Plymouths.  They were like family members and each had it's own name, such as Martin, Clunky, Farmcar, The Coupe, Billy, Beulah, Isabelle (had about 4 of those), and of course, Grandpa.  Back then, there was little traffic.  I don't recall having seatbelts and there was no babyseat to strap me into.  Just a plain wicker basket that was placed on the backseat floor.  My Dad would drive around town with me in the backseat, often with one of my siblings.  Life was much simpler back then and sure was alot less crowded.  When I was old enough to walk, I would go to different junkyards with my Dad, to help scope out parts for his cars.   I learned how to remove the steering wheel horn ring emblems and had a little collection of them.  They weren't treated like gold like they are now...usually Henry or Earl would let me have them for free.  We had lots of old hubcaps hanging on the garage walls.  I knew which year, make and model each one went to.  My Dad would play "farm music" as he called vintage country music on a car radio that was mounted, dashboard and all above his workbench.  Hank Williams Sr. would bellow, "Say hey good lookin, whatcha got cookin?" while Dad tinkered under the hood.  These were magical days for this little girl.  I got to hang out with my Dad, who was so funny and cool to me. 

Here I am with my Grandmother Kathryn, about 1959.  

Here's a photo of my sister Anne Marie, sitting in the backseat.  She is also really excited that the car has made it's way back home with the family again.